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Selena Autopsy Details Released 30 Years After Death

Published 17 November 2025

Selena Quintanilla, the 23-year-old Tejano music superstar known as the Queen of Tejano, died from a single gunshot wound that caused massive internal bleeding, according to an autopsy report released 30 years after her death on March 31, 1995, in Corpus Christi, Texas. The report, conducted by the Nueces County Medical Examiner's Office shortly after the incident, ruled the death a homicide and has resurfaced amid the premiere of a new Netflix documentary exploring her life and legacy.

The shooting occurred at a Days Inn motel during a confrontation with Yolanda Saldívar, Quintanilla's former friend and business associate who managed the singer's fan club and boutique. According to the autopsy detailed by coroner Lloyd White, a .38-caliber bullet entered Quintanilla's back, perforated her ribs and the upper lobe of her right lung, severed her subclavian artery, and exited through her upper right chest. This led to exsanguinating hemorrhage, or severe blood loss, both internally and externally. Quintanilla, wearing blood-soaked clothing, ran to the motel lobby for help before being rushed to Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead around 1:05 p.m.

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